I'm Not Me, Anymore
by Optimum Ace
Summary: People change with the passage of time and the close band of friends was no different. Yuna and Tidus are no longer who they were at the time of their love... but perhaps this will give a certain blonde the chance she has been waiting for.


Author's Note: Welcome to our newest Tikku story! This story is being co-written by me and a wonderful author who goes by the pen name of zutarafn1! She is an exceptional writer with the patience of a saint! This first chapter was written entirely by her, and beta read by me. So with no further adieu let the story commence!

Disclaimer: We do not own Final Fantasy or any of its characters.

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Rikku shimmied down the drain pipe of her, Paine, and Yuna's two story home. She wanted to go outside, but when she asked her older cousin, she got an answer that she didn't want. She held her self as she walked in the slight drizzle. Donning a pair of dark blue jeans, a white shirt with read trim, black high-tops, and her usual hairstyle; she found herself walking to the beach. She sat down in the sand, which had taken on a very mud-like feel from the intense waves reaching far up the shoreline from the stormy conditions. She felt her stomach beginning to churn and her cheeks flame up.

Ever since he came back –no-- even before he came back…something happened to her body. Her immune system began to shut down and she began to get weaker. Rikku could hardly find the will to do anything. Cid made her go and live with her cousin because he knew that Yuna would be able to do more for Rikku than he could. The rain came down harder, pelting her naturally tan skin with what felt to be a never ending shower of icy hatred. Her clothes became soaked and her honeydew blonde hair clung to her cheeks and back. She began to shake furiously, her body telling her she can't get too cold, but Rikku didn't want to listen. She just wanted to sit there and stare out into space. Her eyes began to get blurry. Rikku tried to stand up to run home, but her knees began to wobble. She tried to step forward, but found all she could do was collapse on the beach as the rain continued to fall and half her body lay in the ocean.

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Rikku awoke several hours later, her chest burning like mad. She began to cough and couldn't breathe. Yuna had just opened the door to see Rikku coughing something up onto her clean blankets. Rikku was getting sick and hadn't the strength to make it to the bathroom down the hall. As suddenly as she had started, Rikku stopped throwing up and Yuna saw she was turning purple. She ran over and pulled her cousin off the bed and proceeded to give her the Heimlich maneuver. Rikku felt her throat become unclogged and released the last of her bodily fluids down the front off herself and onto the front of Yuna's hands. Yuna felt herself cringe when this happened. Yuna stood there holding her cousin up, not sure what to do.

"Yunie…I'm sorry… I didn't-" Rikku felt Yuna take her right arm and put it around her neck and then grab her behind the legs and began carrying her down the hall.

"Rikku, don't worry about it…" Yuna tried hard not to have a disgusted look on her face in front of Rikku because of the smell. She made it to bathroom and set her down on the toilet. Yuna washed her hands and then turned back to face the drowsy Rikku.

"I'll be right back. Don't move, and this time I mean it." Yuna pointed at Rikku firmly. Rikku pursed her lips together and nodded slowly because she still felt queasy. Rikku sat there alone, in her dirty undershirt and black shorts, half out of it. Yuna came back and she was not alone. Lulu was there with her.

Lulu looked in to see the messy Rikku, who was now asleep sitting up, drool sliding down her petite chin, Yuna spoke.

"I didn't have anyone to help. Paine hasn't come back from her trip yet and-" Lulu turned back around with her arms crossed.

"You owe me big time for this." Lulu patted the top of Yuna's head and then Yuna went to clean up Rikku's bedroom.

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Lulu grabbed a fresh pair of Rikku's pajama's from the hall closet and then went into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her herself. Lulu kneeled down in front of Rikku and began to pat Rikku's arm. "Ku, honey…"she paused. "Ku, wake up." Rikku lifted her head up and she opened her groggy eyes to find Lulu was in front of her.

"What do you say we get you cleaned up?" Rikku nodded slowly and tried to stand up, but got dizzy. Lulu caught her and wrapped the 17 year olds arms around her own neck, so Rikku could have more support. Rikku's head found its way to Lulu's right shoulder, while grazing Lulu's cheek. She was burning up.

"Lulu, I wish I was better…"Lulu listened. "I don't wanna be sick anymore." Lulu felt a few wet droplets fall onto her shoulder. Rikku was crying. Lulu lifted Rikku's head up and saw tears trailing down her slightly pudgy cheeks. She took one of her hands and brushed Rikku's bangs out of her face and smiled slightly.

"You will be." Lulu made Rikku put her small hands on her shoulders. She grabbed the fresh T-shirt and set it in the curve of her arm. This was much harder than 2 years ago. Her tiny friend was now almost a head taller than herself.

"Arms up…" Rikku complied as Lulu slid her shirt off, tossed it on the ground, and slid the dark red t-shirt on Rikku. All Rikku wanted to do was lay down, but she couldn't even do that without help. She was sick constantly. Any thing she would eat, would usually come right back up, except for broth and crackers. Rikku had been at the right weight for her height, but it was really starting to show. She was beginning to get skinnier than she had been a few days ago.

Lulu sat Rikku back down on the toilet and peeled off her dirty shorts, then slipped Rikku's feet into the holes of the shorts, helped Rikku stand up, and then pulled the clean shorts on. Lu sat the longhaired blond back down and picked up the dirty clothes, tossing them down the laundry chute in the hallway.

"Rikku-" Rikku's head hung low, she had fallen asleep again. Lulu smiled to herself. She took a rag from the towel rack and wetted it down. She kneeled in front of Rikku, gently wiping her face so she wouldn't wake her. 'How anyone could look cute while being sick is beyond me.' she smiled to herself. She laid the rag on the side of the tub and patted Rikku on the arm again and Rikku awoke with a startled jump.

"Let's get you back in bed." she carried Rikku, the way Yuna did, back to her room just as Yuna finished putting clean sheets on Rikku's bed. Yuna lifted the covers as Lulu slipped the fragile girl into the bed. Yuna cover her cousin and then placed a cool, wet rag on Rikku's forehead. Yuna sighed and she Lulu sat in two chairs that were in Rikku's room. Yuna looked at the clock. It was now 9:30 at night. She looked over at Lulu.

"Thanks for helping." Lulu shook her head. Lulu looked Yuna right in the eyes.

"You know he wants to see her."

"He can't, not like this." Lulu crossed her arms.

"Wakka and I can't keep him from coming much longer." Rikku stirred. She had begun dreaming about him. Not soon after, she began talking in her sleep. Yuna saw that she looked as though she was about to cry.

"Th-things weren't-the same." Rikku repeated herself. "Things wer-weren't th-the s-same." Yuna got up and went over and soothed Rikku, running her fingers through her hair. Lulu stood up.

"We should let her get some rest, let's finish talking downstairs." Yuna nodded and turned off the lights once they were out of the room.

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Not soon after they left and went downstairs, did someone sneak into Rikku's dark room, through her unlocked window. He was also blonde, well built, and a head or two taller than Rikku herself. The very person Yuna and Lulu had spoken of. Tidus.


End file.
